An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus can display a pulsation of a heart and a state of a fetus' motion in real time with a simple operation by bringing an ultrasonic probe into contact with a body surface, and further, has a high safety and thus, it is possible to repeatedly perform examinations. Besides, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has a small system scale as compared to another diagnostic equipment using such as X-ray, computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and is capable of easily performing examination by being moved to a bedside, which can be referred to as a convenient diagnosis method. Although there are various types of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses to be used in such an ultrasonic diagnosis depending on types of functions provided in the respective apparatuses, and among them, a small apparatus having a size that can be carried with one hand has been developed, and the ultrasonic diagnosis does not cause exposure to radiation unlike the X-ray and the like, and thus, can be used in obstetrics, home medical care and the like.
Recently, there is a tissue tracking imaging (TTI) method as a method of evaluating a function of an object as biological tissue in objective and quantitative manner using such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. According to the TTI method, it is possible to provide a quantitative evaluation method by a local wall motion index such as a strain and displacement using tissue velocity. In the TTI method, it is necessary to input a three-dimensional boundary of the object in volume data for a reference temporal phase. As such an input method, a technique has been known in which a plurality of sectional images are set to the volume data, a boundary of the object is traced on each two-dimensional image corresponding to each section, and the three-dimensional boundary is generated by an interpolation process among the sections. In this technique, for example, in a case where a three-dimensional boundary of an object, which is myocardium of a left ventricle of a heart to be included in an ultrasonic image, is input to volume data of a reference temporal phase, a myocardial boundary is traced in a plurality of short-axis sections of the left ventricle, and then a three-dimensional myocardial boundary is generated by the interpolation process among each sections. If targets to be used for analysis are only a ventricle and an inflow section for flowing blood into the ventricle (for example, a mitral valve in the case of the left ventricle, and a tricuspid valve in the case of a right ventricle), the both are relatively clearly displayed with only using the short-axis section in the related art by setting a position of an ultrasonic probe in accordance with an axis passing through the ventricle and the inflow section, and it is easy to suitably set the myocardial boundary.
However, in a case where the targets to be used for the analysis also include an outflow section for flowing the blood out from the ventricle (for example, a pulmonary valve in the case of the right ventricle) in addition to the ventricle and the inflow section, it is possible to sufficiently secure visibility of the ventricle and one of the inflow section or the outflow section, but it is difficult to sufficiently secure visibility of the other. As a result, the time required for the analysis and the diagnosis increases. In addition, it is difficult to suitably set the myocardial boundary, and thus, it is difficult to sufficiently secure accuracy in the analysis and the diagnosis.
From a viewpoint of the above-described situation, an object is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an ultrasonic image processing apparatus and an ultrasonic image processing program capable of reducing time required for analysis and diagnosis, and further, improving accuracy in the analysis and the diagnosis.